Android dev vacancies ‘have soared 424%’

Demand for Android game developers has skyrocketed over the past twelve months, new data suggests.

Analytics firm IT Jobs Watch reports that, in twelve months from January 2010, demand for experienced Android game developers had jumped 424 per cent.

That outpaces Apple’s own mobile dev scene, the data suggested, though iPhone and iPad game dev vacancies have nevertheless grown 263 per cent over the same twelve-month period.

iPhone job vacancies nevertheless outnumber Android job posts, the data suggested.

Between November 2010 and January 2011, there were 1,239 jobs advertised for people with knowledge of iPhone development, while there were 1,047 for those with Android experience.

The findings were presented by an IT recruitment consultancy that did not detail its methodology – a matter which leaves room for a sceptical view of the findings.

“Given the substantial increase in the sale of Android handsets in the past year, it is not surprising that more businesses are recruiting individuals who possess the ability to develop for this platform,” said Rob Samuel, IT manager at IntaPeople.

“In the past, developing applications for Android phones may have been perceived as something of a hobby, but these figures prove that it actually makes commercial sense to improve on these skills.

“We fully expect demand for these professionals to continue to rise over the next few years, helped by the increasing popularity of the iPad and the introduction of rival tablets.”